If you thought the 3.0l ecodiesel has bad design ideas watch this.

[bruno747]

check out this video on the duramax 3.0l inline 6.



Two chains, and a 150k mile wet belt for the oil pump in the back. "Service is easy, just back the transmission off" ROFL. High Pressure pump faces the back and is not removable without pulling either the engine or transmission.

I thought I'd give this engine a fair shake for my next truck, now that I watch this vidoe, it looks like interns locked in the closet designed a bunch of it.

The one piece that seems interesting to me is the combined SCR and DPF into one function and moved it up next to the engine. Not sure if thats really good or bad. Seems like a lot of heat to deal with in the engine bay.

Sponsored

 

[Oilburner]

And I got a little queasy at the aluminum block - seems there might be a Lot more to be wary of!

 

[bruno747]

And I got a little queasy at the aluminum block - seems there might be a Lot more to be wary of!

Not just an aluminum block, but one with an active cooling directing system. How long before that coolant directing valve cruds up and refuses to move like it should. I'm seeing warped Vega blocks and melted Duramax heads all over again.

 

[RedTRex]

No fear. Like any engine, as long as you take care of it it should last. So. Change the oil pump belt @ 140K yes a little conservative and change the coolant super modulator directing valve thingy at same time.

BMW had weak cooling system parts for years, it was commonly known just to replace everything every 75-85K ( rad, wp, all hoses, tstat, overflow tank), if you didn't you took the chance of a overheat event and ...... warped head, pulled threads in block.....instant junk. I have seen the Overflow tanks split at the seams no warning, radiator necks snap right off - plastic end tanks... BMWs run so dang hot

On another note, an aluminum diesel engine sounds scary but (again BMW) has been building one for quite a few years with no major issues that I am aware of....

 

[bruno747]

To me its not a question of whether it will last to the 150k miles or not. It's the principal of making stupid design decisions for the purposes of planned failure/obsolescence and making the replacement of such parts so difficult that the majority of people will need to take the vehicle into the dealer for service.

You are welcome to change my view. I'm open to observations I hadn't considered, but there is zero reason to put belts and chains behind the engine where the trans needs to be pulled to service it that I can see other than the reason stated above.

Its almost like GM hired some of the idiots responsible for the audi v8 timing chain design that was so utterly preposterous and expensive.

 

[bgenlvtex]

Yeah, uhhhh how bow no?

Just drop the transmission!

ETA: this is no more stupid than all of the manufacturers who are putting the starter under the intake manifold though.

 

[WXman]

It's General Motors. What do you expect?

They've made absolute garbage since the GMT400 platform dropped in late 1987.

 

[RedTRex]

scardy cats...... Lets revisit in a few years and see how these things held up

 

[Hootbro]

To be fair, stuff like this is not unique to GM. Other makes do stupid design stuff because there is like a 75% chance when it does eventually fail or need maintenance, the vehicle is on it's second owner and does not really impact new vehicle buyers who usually sell and/or trade before having to deal with such things.

 

[Minty JL]

The one thing US GM guys loved was poking fun of Ford owners where they have to remove the cab to service the Powerstrokes..........and GM did this ....smh

BMW E46 platform - that plastic coolant tube that runs on the side of the cylinder head just under the intake manifold; add that to the list of fun plastic cooling system crap.

As far as GM trucks since the GMT400.....every vehicle has some quirks

GMT355 - Colorado/Canyon - early motors bad cylinder head (2.8 but mostly 3.5) bas castings
GMT400 - spider injecting in the intake manifold, been there done that
GMT800 - nothing really dumb maintenance wise, beginning of the LS platform
GMT900 - Dumb DoD/AFM, if deleted like I did, bulletproof and hale the 6L80 transmission
GMT K2XX - main issue was the torque converter flutter 8spd AT- if caught in time, R/R converter and done
GMT T1XX - 5.3/6.2 faulty lifters

I've basically owned 1 or numerous of the above mentioned platforms minus the GMT K2xx and GMT T1xx. I've also been wrenching for over 30 years now (both in the professional and hobby domains)

 

[ThatStinging_Jeep]

Yeah, uhhhh how bow no?

Just drop the transmission!

ETA: this is no more stupid than all of the manufacturers who are putting the starter under the intake manifold though.

Yeah thats happened to me before changing out his starter in his lexus,the damn thing was under the intake manifold i guess one of the engineers just hated mechanics for some reason

 

[Red_5]

It only has 15:1 CR so that's not that crazy for an aluminum block. It looks surprisingly compact for a straight six, I wouldn't mind having one based on what I've seen and read about the engine. I wonder if it fits in a Gladiator, might run cooler than a V6 diesel.

 

[houseofdiesel]

check out this video on the duramax 3.0l inline 6.



Two chains, and a 150k mile wet belt for the oil pump in the back. "Service is easy, just back the transmission off" ROFL. High Pressure pump faces the back and is not removable without pulling either the engine or transmission.

I thought I'd give this engine a fair shake for my next truck, now that I watch this vidoe, it looks like interns locked in the closet designed a bunch of it.

The one piece that seems interesting to me is the combined SCR and DPF into one function and moved it up next to the engine. Not sure if thats really good or bad. Seems like a lot of heat to deal with in the engine bay.

I'd rather drop a trans really quick to swap it out than tear the entire front assembly apart. I can do it in a fraction of the time. I have a EcoDiesel Glad, two LM2 Sierra, and a LM2 Yukon showing up for the wife here in a couple weeks. We need to be grateful we still have diesel options in this atmosphere of anti-science and anti-engineering indoctrination.

 

[UM_Ftown]

It will be interesting to revisit this thread in a few years. The engine that was designed in Warren, MI specifically for 1500 duty, and built in Flint, MI seems to be getting mostly praise from any review I've seen so far. The fuel economy numbers I've seen even from AT4 owners with it are pretty staggering.

Anyone actually know the shop hours to actually replace the oil pump belt? That would tell me if it's a stupid design or not.

 

[869 KPH]

I'd rather drop a trans really quick to swap it out than tear the entire front assembly apart. I can do it in a fraction of the time.

No experience with this, but I like what you're getting at. Higher entry threshold on who can do the repair, but if you have the right tools maybe it's actually better.

Sponsored